Local friars and fraternities
For the approximately 10,500 friars present in more than 100 different countries, belonging to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is realized first and foremost in the sharing of everyday life within a local fraternity.
Our Order has more than 1700 local fraternities, composed of at least three brothers. Generally, the number of members of local fraternities is between 5 and 12. It is a rare exception that they exceed 30.
The local fraternity practices common prayer, eats at the same table, and shares the commitments necessary for common life as well as the services it renders to neighboring people. Fraternal help, sharing of goods and sharing with neighboring people are essential aspects of fraternity life.
The coordination of fraternal life is entrusted to a “guardian,” assisted by a vicar. However, all friars participate in the organization and enrichment of community life through regular meetings, called local chapters.
Regional fraternities
Local fraternities together form a network of communion over a defined territory that constitutes a circumscription of the Order. Such a circumscription is called a “province.” However, starting from certain criteria-which include the number of friars, time of implantation, level of development and capacity for autonomy-circumscriptions can also be vice-provinces, custodies or delegations.
Delegations represent a first beginning of organized presence in a given territory. Consequently, the component fraternities are still under the government of the friars’ home province.
But networks of local fraternities that form custodies or vice-provinces or provinces always have their own government elected by the circumscription chapter. Such chapters, celebrated every three years, can gather either all the brothers of the circumscription or the delegates of the local fraternities: it is up to the circumscription to choose between one or the other form. The chapter is the highest authority of the circumscription. In accordance with the Rule of St. Francis and the Constitutions of the Order, it is the duty of the chapter to deal with all matters concerning fraternal life in the respective territory and to elect the government, which will consist, almost always, of a “minister” and four councilors. These councilors are traditionally called “definers.” The minister-or servant of the fraternity-and his councilors are elected for three-year terms. The minister’s term may be renewed for three more years. But every three years at least two of the four councilors of this fraternity government must be changed.
Each province has a great deal of autonomy in organizing its life and the services it provides. It is the province that is responsible for the admission of candidates to our form of life as well as their religious and professional formation.
In our Order some friars become priests after following the path of formation desired by the Church for preparation for this task. Others fully assume their vocation as lesser brothers while remaining lay people. It is the profession of the Rule of St. Francis and the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience that bring us together in fraternity. Priesthood creates no difference among us. According to the terms of our legislation, all brothers who have made perpetual profession therefore have equal rights in the Order and are eligible for all offices necessary for the common good of the fraternity.
The size of provinces can vary, currently ranging from fewer than 30 friars to more than 300. To preserve the fraternal atmosphere and avoid bureaucratic anonymity, a very large province may choose to articulate itself into smaller regions and thus more suitable for family sharing. At the same time, when a province becomes too small to govern and develop, it may join with another province to form a more vigorous circumscription with it.
In each of the major regions of the world, provinces are grouped into “conferences.” This regional structure, by virtue of language, culture and other social factors, makes it easier to cooperate in areas of common interest.
World fraternity
Just as provinces and other circumscriptions are networks of local fraternities, so the Order, on a worldwide level, can be described as a network of provinces, vice-provinces, custodies and delegations, the animation of which is the responsibility of the minister general aided by eight councilors (general definers).
The minister general and his councilors are elected during the general chapter of the Order, which is held every six years. The general chapter brings together ministers from all provinces and vice-provinces, as well as a number of delegates from the larger provinces and custodies.
In addition to electing the Minister General and his councilors, who are to be chosen from each of the major regions of the Order, the general chapter has as its task to deal with all the problems of the Order and to update our legislation so that it responds adequately to the needs of the Church and the development of society.
During his six-year term of office, the Minister General undertakes to visit all the circumscriptions of the Order and, as far as possible, all the friars. His councilors most often will visit the region that expressed them and for which they have received special responsibility. Their constant care will be to encourage local development and diversity, while preserving cohesion and unity. They will also have to have special attention to all needs, both in personnel and material resources, which could find help by appealing to the solidarity of the Order.
In order to take stock of some central issues in the life of the Order, the Minister General sometimes brings together representatives from all regions of the Order in a temporary enlarged council, called the Plenary Council of the Order. The PCOs celebrated so far have dealt with topics such as prayer, missions, formation, our prophetic presence in the world, and evangelical poverty lived in fraternity. In 2004, the seventh PCO will deal with “our fraternal life in minority.”
Being brothers, is the fundamental expression of belonging to the Order. However, we are an extremely diverse family, at the same time united and separated by so many cultures, political, economic and social situations that reflect a very large part of the richness of humanity, to which we, present in so many places, belong. But we all share the Franciscan tradition as a common and intimate history; we are united by ancient institutions that we adapt according to the needs of our development; and then we have all chosen to live “according to the form of the holy Gospel,” to serve the Lord and our brothers and sisters in solidarity and peace. In the daily prayer and sharing of our local fraternities, there is always an open space for our brothers from other parts, so that if they come to us with ease they will find themselves in the midst of them true and proper brothers.